Roller latch



April 24, 1962 E. F. REISS ROLLER LATCH Filed June 18, 195 9 FIG. 3

ATTORILEYS United States Patent 3,031,220 ROLLER LATCH Edmund F. Reiss, New Britain, Conn, assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed June 18, 1959, Ser. No. 821,132 7 Claims. (Cl. 292-75) The present invention relates to a roller latch, and more particularly to a novel construction for a spring-loaded roller latch of the type adapted to be secured in a door recess.

Roller latches of the type commonly employed on cabinet doors and the like are generally comprised of a spring-loaded plunger carrying the roller seated within a housing having a face plate secured to the edge of the door by screws. To mount such rollers, it has been generally necessary to drill a hole for the housing and to mortise a recess for the mounting plate. To enable adjustment of the position of the roller relative to the edge of the door and of the spring tension on the plunger support, relatively complex and accordingly expensive structures have been employed.

It is an object of this invention to provide a roller latch which maybe secured in a recess on the edge of the door in a simple operation without screws or similar fastening means, and in which the position of the plunger in the housing may be readily adjusted.

Another 'object is to provide an economically manufactured roller latch which may be secured in the door without the use of a face plate or other externally visible fastening means, and in which means are provided for orienting the roller carried by the plunger.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following detailed specification and the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary section of a door and jamb illustrating the use of a roller latch embodying the present invention with a portion of the latch housing broken away;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the parts of the roller latch as disassembled; and

FIG. 3 is a side view partially in section of the roller latch prior to installation.

Referring to FIG. 1, a spring-loaded roller latch 2 embodying the invention is mounted in a hole 3 drilled into the edge of the door 4 and cooperates with the keeper 6 which is mounted over a recess 7 in the jamb 8.

In detail, the roller latch 2 is comprised of a cylindrical or tubular housing 10 having a closed inner end 12 with a centrally disposed aperture 14 and two edge apertures 16. A small lateral flange 18 on the outer end of the housing 10' abuts the edge of the door when the unit is mounted within the door recess 3, but is so thin in cross section as to be non-interfering with the door closing and thus there is no requirement for mortising. Spaced inwardly of the outer end, an indexing pawl or spring clip 20 is provided by severing the side of the housing 10 to form a spring member 21 which is then bent adjacent the end to form an inwardly disposed detent 22. As illustrated, the body of the housing 10 is threaded between the spring clip 20 and the inner end 12. A pair of raised projections or bumps on the side of the housing 10 adjacent the flange 18, which may serve as an aid in aligning the housing within the door recess, are provided to insure a spacing of the housing 10 from the wall of the recess in the vicinity of the spring clip so that the spring clip has room to move radially outwardly during an adjusting operation as later described.

Seated in the inner end of the housing 10 is a butterflyshaped washer 24 with a prong 26 extending outwardly 3,fl3l,22fl Patented Apr. 24, 1962 from each wing and located in the mounting apertures 16, and in the center of the washer 24 is an aperture 28. When the latch is fabricated and assembled and prior to installation, the washer 24 is in the bent or outwardly arched form shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 which maintains the prongs 26 retracted. After the housing 10 has been seated in the door recess, a dowel, punch or other tool may be inserted into the housing against the washer 24 and then struck to flatten the washer and project the prongs 26 outwardly of the apertures 16 into the surrounding wood, which position is shown in FIG. 1. Should it be desired to remove the housing 10 from the door at a later date, the prongs 26 may be retracted by threadably engaging an ordinary screw in the aperture 28, and then pulling outwardly on the screw. The oversize aperture 14 in the base 12 allows the screw to extend therethrough freely.

Threadably engageable in the housing 10 is an adjustable supporting member or plug 30 having flattened sides 34 and a pair of externally threaded inwardly extending legs- 32 defining a longitudinal aperture or channel therebetween. After the housing It} has been installed in the edge of the door, the plug 30 is rotated into the housing to the desired adjusted position. Longitudinal notches or grooves 38 in the legs 32 cooperate with the detent 22 of the spring 21} to yieldingly retain or index the member 36 in rotated positions apart which properly disposes the axis of the roller 48 hereinafter described.

A U-shaped yoke 40' has a cross piece 46 disposed in the channel between the legs 32 with its arms 42 extending along the flats 34 toward the open end of the housing. A spring 44 seated on an abutment or ledge 36 formed on the legs of the bushing 30 reacts against the yoke 40 and biases it toward the position shown in FIG. 3. A roller 48 is rotatably mounted between the outer ends of the arms 42 by the pin 50. The outer end of the bushing 31) preferably has arcuate slot 39 therein in alignment with the roller to accommodate the same in the retracted position.

The roller 48 and supporting member 30 are prefer-' ably made of nylon, polyamide resin or other durable plastic material to minimize weight, reduce friction and enable ready fabrication of the preferred configuration of the supporting member illustrated in the drawings.

The use and operation of the improved roller latch of the present invention will be readily understood from the above description and the drawings. After the hole 3 has been drilled in the edge of the door 4, the housing 10, from which the supporting member *30 and associated structure have been removed, is inserted into the hole to a sufficient depth so that the flange 18 abuts the edge of the door. A dowel or punching tool is then inserted into the housing 10 and struck to depress the washer 24 and extend the prongs 26 outwardly'of the housing and into the wood surrounding the recess.

The supporting member 30 and associated structure are then inserted into the housing and threadably engaged by rotating the plunger 42 and the rotation may be continued until the desired degree of roller extension is obtained. The prong 22 on the spring clip 20 will click into the longitudinal grooves 38 on the legs 32 every 180 of rotation to orient or position the roller parallel to the edge of the door.

In the operation, closing movement of the door 4 will bring the roller 48 into contact with the keeper 6, and the closing pressure will cam the roller and plunger 40 inwardly into the recess 39 of the supporting member 30, against the pressure of the spring 44. When the door is closed, the roller 48 will be biased outwardly into the recess of the keeper 6 to maintain the door in its closed position. When sufiicient opening pressure is applied, the roller 48 :3 and plunger 40 will be cammed inwardly until the roller latch moves clear of the keeper. The position of the roller relative to the edge of the door, i.e., its protruding length, is readily adjusted by the rotation of the supporting memher, and this, accordingly, will also determine the amount of force exerted by the compressed spring.

To remove the roller latch from the door, the supporting member 30 is removed by rotating it relative to the housing, and a screw is then threaded into engagement in the aperture 28 of the washer. By applying suflicient outwardly directed force on the screw, conveniently through pliers or similar tools, the washer 24- may be bent outwardly into its original position and the prongs 26 withdrawn from the surrounding wood, after which the housing can be removed.

This improved roller latch structure eliminates the requirement for mortising a mounting flange and externally visible screws or other fastening means, and at the same time provides a structure which is quickly and simply mounted. The indexing spring clip on the housing and grooves on the supporting member ensure proper orientation of the strike roller relative to the edge of the door, and the unitary assembly of the supporting member and plunger permits ready adjustment. Additionally, because of the simple construction, the roller latch of the present invention may be economically produced.

Although but one embodiment has been illustrated and described, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A roller latch comprising a tubular metal housing adapted to be mounted in a recess in the edge of a door and having an open outer end provided with a flange for engagement with the edge of the door, means internally of the housing for securing the housing in a door recess, a plug in said housing having a generally cylindrical body portion formed with a transverse wall having diametrically disposed recessed sides and a pair of legs extending therefrom inwardly of the housing and defining a longitudinal channel therebetween, said plug and housing being threadably engaged to permit the plug to be turned into and out of the housing, a yoke carried by the plug and comprised of a cross-piece and a pair of spaced-apart arms, said cross-piece being slidably seated in said channel between the legs of the plug and said pair of spacedapart arms extending therefrom along said recessed sides of the plug toward the open end of the housing, a spring between the plug and cross-piece urging the cross-piece of the yoke toward said transverse wall of said body portion of the plug, and a roller carried between the outer ends of the arms.

2. The roller latch defined in claim 1 wherein the body portion and legs of the plug are an integral unit formed of plastic material.

3. A roller latch comprising a tubular metal housing having an open outer end provided with a peripheral flange, means for mounting the housing in a recess in the edge of a door with the flange engaging the edge of the door comprising a locking member located within the inner end of the housing and formed of a bendable piece of metal having prongs extending through apertures in the wall of the housing, a plug in said housing formed with a longitudinal channel extending inwardly from adjacent the outer end of the plug, said plug and housing being threadably engaged to permit the plug to be adjusted axially of the housing, yieldable detent means on said housing engageable with the plug for retaining the plug in adjusted position and releasable upon rotation of the lug, a yoke carried by the plug comprised of a crosspiece slidably disposed in the channel and a pair of arms extending outwardly of the housing, a spring between the plug and yoke cross-piece urging the yoke outwardly of the housing, and a roller carried between the outer ends of the arms of the yoke.

4. A roller latch comprising a tubular housing adapted to be mounted in a cylindrical recess in the edge of a door, said housing being dimensioned to fit closely within the cylindrical recess and having an open outer end formed with a peripheral flange engageable with the edge of the door; means internally of the housing for securing the housing in a door recess: comprising a generally V- shaped washer located adjacent the inner end of the housing with its apex facing the open end of the housing and having lugs extending through apertures in the wall of the housing, said lugs being extensible into the material surrounding the recess upon flattening of the Washer, said washer having an aperture therein for engagement of a member to bend the washer into the generally V-shaped configuration and withdraw the lugs for detachment of the housing from the door; a plug in said housing having a transverse wall adjacent the outer end of said housing and a longitudinal aperture extending inwardly of the housing therefrom, said plug and housing being threadably engaged to permit the plug to be adjustably positioned axially of the housing; a U-shaped member mounted on the plug for limited movement axially thereof and comprising a cross-piece and a pair of spaced-apart arms, said cross-piece being slidably seated in said plug aperture and said pair of spaced apart arms extending outwardly from the plug toward the open end of the housing; a roller supported on the arms; and a spring disposed in said plug aperture between the plug and the cross-piece biasing said cross-piece against said transverse wall and urging the U-shaped member toward the open end of the housing.

5. A roller latch comprising a tubular housing adapted to be mounted in a recess in the edge of a door and having an open outer end; means for securing the housing in a door recess; a plug in said housing having a transverse wall adjacent the outer end of said housing and a longitudinal aperture therein extending inwardly of the housing from said transverse wall, said plug and housing being threadably engaged to permit the plug to be positioned axially of the housing, a yoke mounted on the plug for limited movement axially thereof and comprising a crosspiece and a pair of spaced-apart arms, said cross-piece being slidably carried in said plug aperture and said arms extending from the crosspiece and towards the outer end of said housing; a roller supported on the arms of said yoke; and a spring seated in said plug aperture between the plug and cross-piece and biasing said cross-piece against the transverse wall of the plug.

6. A roller latch comprising a tubular housing adapted to be mounted in a recess in the edge of a door and having an open outer end, means for securing the housing in a door recess, a plug in said housing having a transverse wall and a pair of spaced-apart legs extending from said wall inwardly of the housing and defining a channel therebetween, said plug and housing being threadably engaged to permit the plug to be adjusted inwardly and outwardly of the housing; yieldably engaged means on said housing and plug for retaining the plug in adjusted position and releasable upon rotation of the plug; a yoke slidably supported on said plug and comprising a cross-piece and a pair of arms, said cross-piece being slidably seated in said plug channel and said arms extending along opposite sides of said transverse wall toward the open end of said housing; a spring disposed on said channel between the ends of the legs of the plug and the cross-piece and biasing said cross-piece against said transverse wall; and a roller carried by the outer ends of the arms of the yoke.

7. The roller latch set forth in claim 6 wherein the yieldably engaged means for retaining the plug in adjusted position comprises an integral spring finger on the hous ing and a longitudinal groove on the side of the plug for engagement with said finger, said spring finger being releasable from said groove upon rotation of the plug to permit ready adjustment.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 226,879, Bachmann Oct. 20, 1925 230,838 Lang Mar. 12, 1946 5 312,479 Robinson Feb. 13, 1951 Daffuran et a1. Mar. 19, 1957 6 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Dec. 16, 1943 Switzerland Apr. 17, 1944 Great Britain May 30, 1929 

